Fruit Yield Loss Assessment of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) due to Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans) Disease in Central Parts of Ethiopia

Abstract

Tomato is an important vegetable crop grown around the world. Tomato is the most widely cultivated and lucrative vegetable in Ethiopia in particular and in the world in general. It is well known that disease late blight affects tomato crop production and late blight is one of the most devastating diseases of tomatoes worldwide and causes significant loss in production. The objective of this study is to update fruit yield loss assessment data for tomato late blight disease. In this study, 3 treatments were used in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The combined analysis of variance (ANOVA) results for AUDPC and total fruit yield shows significant differences (P<0.05) among treatments. As compared to the unsprayed (control) plot both fungicides significantly controlled the disease at both early and late stage of the crop. The lowest AUDPC (560) was recorded on fungicide Fahem-Gold 72% WP sprayed treatment followed by Mancozeb (752.5). The control treatment (water sprayed) had the highest AUDPC (1592.5). The highest mean fruit yield (16.5 t ha-1) was obtained from fungicide Fahem-Gold 72% WP followed by the standard fungicide (Mancozeb) which gave (8.98 t ha -1) whereas the control treatment gave 4.67 t ha -1. The highest levels of yield loss 71.7% occurred in the unsprayed plots of variety Gulelema as compared to the best protected plot sprayed with Fahem fungicide. Generally, disease and yield parameters indicate that among the two fungicides spray; Fahem was the most effective followed by Mancozeb sprayed plot as compared to unsprayed plots.